Just made it....

my last knitted gift for Christmas, which was finished last night in readiness for the recipient tomorrow :o)

I now 'officially' have nothing on the needles at this point in time.... but that will be remedied very shortly by casting on some Lornas Laces "Black Purl" Shepherd sock (which was part of last years Christmas present from DH) for me!!!! I have deicded the next 3 pairs of socks at least are for me!!!

I will also be casting on the Heartland Shawl by Evelyn Clark with my Buffalo yarn which was a birthday gift from my friend back in April.... It looks so soft and warm and think it will be a quick knit as the yarn is quite thick... but I want to re-type the charts before I start with more familiar symbols.

I had some lovely knitted/fibrey gifts yesterday including hand-dyed roving, a lovely lacey scarf and some lacey socks as well as Knitty calendar and 2 stitch markers. I'll take some photos in the next few days...

I hope you all had a lovely day yesterday and the festive season is still with you, I certainly did...

One down...

One and half pairs of socks to go....

I managed to complete another pair of socks yesterday and will cast DH's pair on sometime later today (another size 10)... the other sock already on the needles is progressingly nicely along the foot too.....

I'm also halfway through the pattern repeats of the Bee swarm section too. It really is a nice knit and despite having to get it finished for a deadline, I'm still enjoying picking it up and knitting it, it will definitely be done again in the future....

OK just to keep a few readers happy a photo (you know who you are).... These are Lana Grossa Fantasy 4834; nice pattern but not my favourite of colour combinations, but I didn't choose them, as they're for a friend to give to her father....

Update: the comments are now working again... I'd been 'playing'.....

I've managed to finish the Bee swarm section this afternoon, so just the last pattern and edging to go, but I didn't cast DH's socks on....

Nearly there...

I completed the 10 repeats of the beehive pattern on the 2nd half of the stole last night... so I think I can say I'm winning with SIL's Christmas present.

So before I get to the end I thought I'd ask if anyone has any tips for blocking it; firstly it's Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud and I've heard people say with Alpaca you should stretch it dry and spritz it, rather than soak, squeeze and stretch.... Secondly looking at the photos on the pattern do the blocking wires go through the 'nubs' at the edges to block or what other method has anyone found to block this?

On other knitting fronts I'm over 1/3 along the foot of the 2nd Lana Grossa Fantasy sock and have turned the heel on the first Lana Grossa Muliteffekt sock, after this I have another pair to start for DH for Christmas....

Sorry Fleegle & Soo no photos today... patience ;o)

More Finished Objects :o)

Many thanks for all the kind comments about the stole.... I did enjoy knitting it which does help


Anyway here are a couple of finished items for you.... more socks for the gallery (along with lace I enjoy knitting socks). These are a Christmas gift for my friend Janet.


Kaffe Fassett's Landscape in "Caribbean"

Very nice colours and I quite like stripes that aren't always regular.... I could have lived without the Olive green and brown in there but who am I to criticize Kaffe Fassett's colour sense?????

The only thing I did find with these colours was that sometimes when I was knitting when I was a bit on the tired side I did find the colours a bit 'strong' on the eyes.... I have my eye on the "Fire" colourway for myself at some future date though.....

On the sock knitting front I am on with the 2nd sock of the Trekking pair in the Autumn colours and I am well on with the 1st sock of the Lana Grossa "Magico" pair, quite enjoying doing the pattern as I've never knit it before but not my colours; I'm not keen on greys and browns mixed together....

I finished the baby bolero on Sunday after picking up 333 stitches and knitting for 11 rows and sweating all the way if I had enough yarn...

I had two balls of Patons Fairytale 4ply in Sugar Spun (215m per 50g) and the pattern was for Sirdar Snuggly 4ply (226m per 50g). I was going to do something when Sarah was born back in February and I never quite got the enthusiasm to start but then realised that I had no more of this yarn so would have to make something quick if I was still going to use the yarn.

I found this sirdar pattern in a sale... 2 balls of 4ply for either 6 - 12 months or the 1 - 2 years size... yes you can guess which size I picked can't you? Being ever practical, yes the 1 - 2 years size!!!! so bearing in mind I had 32m less than stated I embarked....

It wasn't until after doing the back and both sleeves together that I realised I may not have enough yarn..... anyway I managed to get the back, 1 sleeve and 1 front out of the 1st ball with ohhh 1m left.... there was hope...

I finished the 2nd front, theoretically I should have enough yarn but when you pick up 333 stitches and every time you knit a row the ball seems to shrink dramatically I sweated a bit and thought well it's a picot edge, push come to shove I can always finish the last couple of rows & cast off in another caolour as you won't see it..... but I didn't need to phew!!!! in fact I think there's about 10m left, what was I worrying about? Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing???....

Anyway here it is...

On the lace knitting front I have done 3.5 repeats of the first pattern of the Honeybee stole... I'll post a photo in a day or too, apart form socks for Christmas that's my only knitting on the needles at the moment I'm being good ;o)